Social Isolation + people with psychosis

What Causes Psychosis

The causes of psychosis are not fully understood. It is likely that psychosis is caused by a combination of hereditary and other factors. Psychosis may be associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain. Stress and certain drugs (for example, marijuana, speed or LSD) can trigger the first episode of psychosis.

Psychotic disorders cause great suffering:

30% of patients attempt suicide; up to 13% succeed

almost 80% of the disability of schizophrenia is currently untreatable

more than 50% of the disability of bi-polar disorder is currently untreatable

Approximately three in 100 people will experience a psychotic episode at some point in their life. Some people only experience a few episodes of psychosis or a brief episode that lasts for a few days or weeks. Others will experience symptoms more frequently, in association with a longer-term illness such as schizophrenia. The first episode of psychosis usually occurs in a person’s late teens or early 20s.